Perfect timing

It continues to be abundantly clear that this is truly the right time for us to leave. I may have mentioned before about TLO undergoing some staffing changes (as well as financial problems), and how that would affect the middle school and Mike's position at the school, but I can't remember if I did or not, so please excuse the redundancy if I already did.

TLO is losing 3 teachers at the end of this year: the combined 3/4 teacher, Mike (grade 5), and me (part-time Spanish). Grades 3 and 4 will not be combined next year due to size issues. So despite losing 2 full-time teachers, and no longer wanting a combined 3/4 class, the school is only hiring a grade 3 teacher and a grade 4 teacher... but no grade 5 teacher. I don't really understand how that will work, but they say that it will. All of this to say that it only leaves one full time middle school teacher for 5-8 grades. Granted, I know that there is a part-time English/band teacher, a full-time 7th grade homeroom/PE teacher, and a part-time music/8th grade math teacher... but will that suffice? God knows... but Mike and I are certainly relieved that we don't have to worry about that.

Mike is also relieved that he doesn't have to change grades... if we would have stayed even one more year, I'm sure that he would have been asked to switch down to 4th grade again... a change that he would have made, but it would have been a very difficult change after having 2 years of the middle school experience. I always think it is easier to move up in grades than to move down because it is easy to forget how young those kids are.

Aside from all of those little issues, the 2009-2010 school calendar was just released. We were shocked that winter break doesn't start until 3:15 pm on December 23. Wow! That is so late!! I've never had to go to school or teach that late into December in my life! In Thailand, we are out at 11 am on December 18 so there is plenty of time for needed rest and Christmas shopping for gifts to send back to the US.

Anyway, we know that TLO will be fine and we're confident that everything will go on without a hitch, but we are also sure that God's perfect timing in sending us overseas has only been confirmed again and again. We are blessed to know that God's sovereign hand reigns, and confidently guides and direct us.